Sewing-machine.



F. J. T. BELL.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.4, 1910.

Patented May 21, 1912.

2 SHEETS-$111131 1.

F. J. T. BELL.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MARA, 1910.

Patented May 21, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

Inventor Wi'tnesse s @WX W FREDERICK JOHN TURNER BELL, 0F ACCRINGTON, ENGLAND.

SEWING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21, 1912.

Application filed March 4, 1910. Serial No. 547,384.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK JoI-IN TUR- NER BELL, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of Accrington, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in lock-stitch sewing machines of that type known as two reel, '5. e. in which a reel, bobbin, or the like, (hereinafter referred to as a reel) of thread is used for the underthread of the machine in the form in which it comes from the manufacturer, thus obviating the necessity of winding or re-winding spools of underthread.

The particular type of two reel machine to which these improvements relate is that in which the reel of underthread is contained within a casing which is rotated through the medium of pins projecting from a face plate mounted on a shaft the axis of which is disposed obliquely to the axis of the reel casing, so that as the rotation of the reel casing progresses the pins are alternately engaged with and free from the casing to permit the passage of the needle loop and as is hereinafter more fully described.

This invention consists in a particular construction of the casing or holder for the reel of underthread the combination therewith of separate means for taking up the slack of the needle thread loop, and the construction and disposition of the devices by which the reel is suitably held in place in the reel casing and the underthread permitted to be withdrawn and engaged by the loop of the needle thread.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the construction and operation of the reel casing and its application to a sewing machine of otherwise ordinary type.

Similar letters are used to indicate similar parts where they occur in the different drawings.

Figure 1 is an end elevation view of the casing for the reel of underthread. Fig. 2 is a similar View of it in place in its race and with its cooperating accessories. Fig. 3 is a view at right angles to Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an edge view of the reel casing. Figs. 5 and 6 are views at right angles to each other of the carrier for the reel of underthread. Fig. 7 is an elevation of the machine showing the combination with the reel casing of the separate means for taking up the slack of the needle thread loop.

The upper and needle operating parts of the machine may be of the usual or any convenient type.

A is a hollow circular reel casing which is centrally of suflicient depth or width to axially receive the reel and its carrier and is very much narrower at its circumference. This circumference is cut away or deeply notched at one part B to permit the hereinafter described operations and to form a hook C to enter and engage with the loop of the needle thread which has been formed through the needle plate.D by the needle of the machine in the usual manner. The notch or opening B thus formed is of the dimensions and shape requisite to its functions and substantially as illustrated. The hook C is preferably integrally formed with the reel casing as shown. The casing consists of two truncated conical domed or equivalently shaped metallic shells placed base to base, one of which (the left hand one in Fig. 4) is formed with a central open ing E through which the reel and its carrier can pass into and be contained within the casing. Where the bases of the conical shells come together they form a circumferential flange A by means of which the casing can rotate axially within a fixed race F adapted to receive such flange and retain the casing in place during rotation, and cut away or formed with an opening at its upper part so that the circumference of the casing is free from the race at such part,

and the casing hook when it arrives at such part can engage with or disengage from the needle thread loop, which when formed by the needle projects into such open part of the race in the path of the casing hook C.

The reel casing is driven and rotated in its race from or by a shaft G which is placed horizontally beneath the machine plate. The axis of rotation of the reel casing is about opposite to the end of the shaft. Instead of the axis of the casing being c0- axial with the axis of the driving shaft it .from such shaft.

is, as before described, inclined in angular relation thereto, for example, as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, downward away The reel casing is rotated by means of two pins H H disposed on the outer ends of a diameter of a face plate J mounted upon and secured to the shaft G so as to rotate therewith. These pins are capable of entering two holes K K similarly formed on one face of the casing. Both pins together or only one of them engage or engages with the holes formed on the nearer face of the casing according to the position occupied by them in their paths of rotation, but there is always one in contact or engagement to give continuous driving. When the driving'pins are in a vertical line and as shown in Fig. 3 the upper one H is quite out of engagement with the reel casing and there is a space between the end of such pin and the casing through i which a thread can be slipped, and the lower pin H is deeply engaged with the reel casing owing to the divergence of the driving plate J and the reel casing caused by the angular relation of their axes. When the driving pins are about in a horizontal line they both engage with the casing but not so deeply as a pin does when in its lowest position. The lengths of the pins must be such as to permit this engagement and disengagement.

The reel of underthread L is placed so that it' can rotate upon a sleeve M of the carrier M. This carrier fits by such sleeve upon the axial pin N of the casing, such pin being secured to the right hand face (Fig. 4) of the casing and having its other end projecting into the opening E. The carrier. passes into the casing through the hole E. The outer end of the carrier carries or is formed with a lip or projection 1 2 on its outer end, which projection engages loosely with a corresponding groove or like part in a stationary gate 0 which, when closed, comes upon and engages with such projection M to hold the carrier stationary when the machine is in use, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and which, when opened to the position shown in the dotted lines in L Fig. 3, permits the carrier to be withdrawn from or placed within the casing. Although the engagement with the gate prevents rotation of the reel carrier the connection is so free or loose that a thread can be easily passed between them.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows. With everything in position as indicated and the casing continuously rotating a loop is formed by the needle thread P within the open part of the race and within the notch B of the casing as such notch arrives below the needle, the driving pins being now about in a vertical line. The rotation of the casing continuing, the hook of the casing enters the loop and engages it, Fig. 1. As soon as it is engaged the loop passes inward along the notch or opening and is free of the race. As the rotation proceeds the loop passes nearer to and across the center of the casing until it reaches the position shown in Fig. 2. The space between the casing and the uppermost and disengaged driving pin I-I permits this inward movement of the thread, and by the time this driving pin which has been passing through its upper arc of rotation free of the casing comes into driving engagement therewith, the loop is-within the circle described by such pin. The loop is now in about its most open condition. As the rotation of the casing further proceeds the loop passes upward, that part of it which is on the left hand or outer face of the casing passing up between the outer face of the outer end of the carrier M and the gate 0 which loosely engages therewith. These parts are rounded and smoothed to permit this operation and the carrier is flush within the body of the casing so as to present no obstacle to the passage of the thread. This passage of the thread of the loop between the carrier and the gate of course slips the loop of the thread P around or over the underthread R which is issuing from the carrier through an eye formed in the upper part of the projection M When the notch in the casing again reaches the opening in the upper part of the race the needle thread loop passes to the circumference of the casing, and is removed from the casing, the slack in the needle thread is taken up by the angular movement of the arm X through the end of which the needle thread passes, and the stitch is finished. The operation is then repeated.

The driving shaft is preferably so driven as to have a varying speed during rotation, the movement being slow when the hook is entering and delivering up a loop. This varying speed may be achieved in any suitable manner.

I claim In a two reel sewing machine, the combination of a driving shaft provided with driving pins and a reel casing with its axis slightly angularly inclined relatively to such driving shaft such reel casing consisting of two truncated conical shells united at their bases, driving holes in one such shell for intermittent engagement with such driving pins, an axial opening in the other such shell for the insertion and withdrawal of the reel carrier, a single radial notch formed in the casing and extending to the periphery of such casing, a hook formed about the periphery of the casing and extending into such notch, means separate from the reel casing for taking up the slack of the needle loop, a reel carrier within the casing such reel carrier having an end disk externally my hand in the presence of two subscribing formed with a pro ect1ng thread guide, and witnesses. a gate a or engaging with the projectin thread guide of the reel carrier and holding FREDERICK JOHN TURNER BELL 5 such carrier stationary during the operation Witnesses:

ofthe machine, substantially as described. JOHN OCoNNnLL, In witness whereof I have hereunto set FRANK A. HEYS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

" Washington, .D. G. 

